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A Cal Fire engineer from the agency's San Diego division has died in the Thomas Fire, which has burned 249,500 acres — about 390 square miles — in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties on Thursday, officials said.

The blaze, which was 35 percent contained as of Thursday evening, has cost more than $82 million so far, according to authorities.

"I am very saddened to report that a firefighter fatality has occurred on the Thomas Incident," Chief Ken Pimlott said in a news release Thursday afternoon.

The fire has demolished around 972 buildings, making it the eighth most destructive wildfire in the state's history, according to Cal Fire.

Cal Fire's data does not include fires prior to 1932, when record keeping was less reliable.

The glow of approaching flames is seen at the gates of an expensive home in Montecito as the Thomas Fire continues to grow on Dec. 12, 2017. (Credit: David McNew / Getty Images)

The Santa Ana winds that had allowed the flames to swiftly spread to a massive scale have been lingering around since the blaze broke out last Monday, Dec. 4, making the flames difficult to combat. A red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) — meaning fire danger is extreme — is in place through 10 a.m. Friday in the mountainous areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties and the Santa Clarita Valley.

The harsh winds have been compacted by low humidity, dry weather and chaparral and steep, hilly terrain. There is little hope of rain before the end of the year, according to NWS.

Around 18,000 structures were still under threat Thursday, forcing 41,200 to evacuate in Santa Barbara County, where the fire has been more active over the past few days after spreading north from Ventura County. Some evacuation orders remain active in Ventura County, as well.

Of the buildings razed, 733 have been homes. Another 175 homes and 18 commercial structures have been damaged.

Despite the continuing threat, only 10 buildings have been destroyed in Santa Barbara County so far, county officials said. It was unclear how many of them were homes.

On Thursday, firefighters were concentrating on protecting homes and minimizing the flames' spread northwest into Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito. Crews would push the progress toward areas that had already been burned in the recent Jesusita and Tea fires.

The battle was still active in Ventura County as well, where firefighters were working to put out spot fires on the blaze's southeastern perimeter. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office was warning Fillmore residents that embers were kicking up in the area once again on Thursday morning.

Conditions remain hazardous in areas still under evacuation orders, officials said, and utility companies are working to ensure their damaged infrastructure will not create further dangers.

How can this be? No precipitation over most of CA while the majority of North America gets wet in the next two weeks. This accumulated total from the GFS model shows little hope of rain through Dec. 30. Hope this changes! #CAwx#LAWeatherpic.twitter.com/n7mFQrDs4h

#ThomasFire-Five engines and 2 Dozers from the Santa Barbara County Fire Dept are in the process of clearing a fire break and laying 10 THOUSAND feet of hose across a canyon from atop Camino Cielo down to Gibraltar to make a stand should the fire move that direction. pic.twitter.com/4hRkTLx5HA